Electric fence



J. RoAcH 2,318,832

ELECTRIC FENCE Filed April 9, 1937 May 11, 1943.

0k iz Patented May 11,1943

asians: ELEcraIc FENCE John Roach, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner o! one-l half to Edwin B. H. Tower, Jr., Milwaukee,

Wis.

Application April 9, 1937, Serial No. 135,867

- 16 Claims. (CL 256-10) The invention relates to an electric fence of the type in which a fence conductor is arranged to form a fence to bound a ileld and insulated trom the ground or other return` conductor to form an open fence circuit.

The fence conductor and the return conductor are connected to an electric energy source, and the electric energy delivered to the' fence circuit is controlled by an electric controller arranged between the electric energy source and the fence circuit.

When an animal makes contact with the fence conductor and closes the fence circuit from the fence conductor to the ground, it will receive an electric shock. c

Once an animal has made contact with the fence conductor and received an eiiective electric shock, it will ordinarily seek to avoid again making contact with the fence conductor.

'I'he electric controller that has heretofore been employed in most instances is provided with a fixed ohmic resistance arranged in series with the fence conductor to limit the electric energy to give an electric shock to an animal.

But a ilxed ohmic resistance lacks ability to maintain the electric energy within the required range under the variable conditions in practice, as the ultim* factor that limits the electric energy delivered through the xed ohmic resistance is the external resistance interposed in the fence circuit by an animal in contact with the fence conductor'and the return conductor.

If the ilxed resistance is adjusted to control the electric energy to protect an animal or person interposing a low external resistance in the fence circuit from an excessive or injurious electric shock, the electric energy deliverable through the fence circuit may be insuiiicient to give an effective electric shock to an4 animal interposing a. high external resistance in the fence circuit. 5

If the fixed resistance is adjusted to control the electric energy to give lan effective electric shock to an animal interposing a high external resistance in the fence circuit, the electric energy deliverable through-the` fence circuitmay give an excessive or injurious electric shock to an animal or person interposing a low external resistance in the fence circuit.

The present invention has for its object to provide an electric fence with an electric controller which will control the electric energy to give an animalan effective electric shock, "but which will impose a suiiicient limitation upon the electric energy to protect an animal or person from an excessive or injurious electric shock.

Another object is to provide an electric fence with an electric controller which will imposea sufiicient limitation upon the electric energy to protect an animal or vperson from an excessive electric shock, but which will momentarily deliver sumcient electric energy to insure giving an animal an eifective electric shock.

Another object is to provide a simple and effective velectric fence controller.

Another object is to provide an electric fence controller which may be readily and economicalf ly manufactured.

Accordingto the present invention as it is ordinarily embodied in practice, an electronic tube is employed to rectify and control electric enrgy delivered by an electric energy sourceI a condenser is connected in a closed charging circuit to the electric energy source in series with the electronic tube to store electric energy from the electric energy source, and a fence wire and a return conductor forming an open fence circuit are connected to the condenser to deliver electric energy therefrom to give an electric shock to an animal making contact with the fence conductor and the return conductor.

As the invention is viewed from another aspect, a condenser is connected to a fence wire and a return conductor forming an open fence circuit, and an electric energy source is connected to the condenser ina closed circuit to de liver electric energy to charge the condenser so long as the fence circuit is open.

When an animal makes contact with the fence A wire and the return conductor and thereby closes the fence circuit, the condenser discharges its stored electric energy through the fence circuit to instigate an electric shock to the animal.

The electric fence illustrated in the accompanying drawing and hereinafter described exemplies the invention.

The single ligure of the drawing is a diagrammatic representation of the fence and the appliances employed therein.

The electric fence is provided with a fence or contact conductor I arranged on fence posts 2 to bound or inclose a field or pasture and insulated from the ground or other return conductor by insulators 3 to form an circuit. i

The fence conductor is energized by electric energy delivered thereto through a supply circuit from a transformer l.

.The transformer has its primary winding 45 open fence connected by power conductors E and Ito an alternating current source and its secondary winding 8 connected by supply conductors 9 and lil and a ground conductor ll.

The electric fence is provided with an electric energy controller in which is an electronic tube l2 of the thermionic type having an anode i3 connected to an automatic circuit interrupter id and a heated cathode l connected to the fence conductor E.

The ihermiome tube controls the electric energy delivered to the fence conductor and thereby limits the electric energy deliverable from the fence conductor upon closure of the and attached to a xed support 2Q at the other end.

The switch blades carry a movable contact 25 engaging a stationary contact 26 to connect the thermionic tube to the supply circuit.

The thermostatic switch is actuated by an electric heater 2l arranged on the switch blade 22 and connected' to the supply circuit by aconductor 28 and the switch contacts 2E and 28.--

A gaseous signal lamp 29, such as a neon lamp. is arranged across the fence circuit between the fence conductor and the ground to indicate that the fence conductor is energized and the electric fence is in operation.

The electric fence may be provided with an inductive impedance 30 connected in the supply circuit in series with the thermlonic ztube and a variable condenser 3l connected across the fence circuit in parallel with the signal lamp.

'Ihe impedance and the condenser serve to keep the fluctuations in the electric energy' upon the supply circuit and the fencel circuit from interfering with a. radio receiver-in the vicinity of the electric fence.

Ihe condenser 3| is connected in circuit in I series with the therminnic tube l'and across the fence circuit so as to be charged by electric energy delivered iromthe transformer through the thermionlc tube.

The thermionic tube serves to rectify the alternating current from the transformer into unidirectional pulsating current to charge the con denser.

A manual switch is arranged in the supply circuit to connect the fence circuit thereto and thereby place the electric fence in operation.

`The control appliances are combined in practice into a unitary electric fence controllerprovided with terminals to connect the supply conductors and the fence conductor thereto.

When the fence is. in operation and an animal makes contact with the fence conductor and vcloses the fence'circuit between the fence conductor and the ground. current is delivered from other return conductor back to the -trans-L former.

The condenser serves to augment'the electric energy delivered from the transformer through the thermionic tube to give the animalan electric shock.

So long as the condenser is charged to its approximate capacity, suicient electric energy is always available, even during the interim between the pulsations in the electric energy from the transformer, to instigate an effective electric shock to the animal. g

When the condenser has delivered its charge, the thermionic tube limits the electric energy delivered from the transformer to the fence circuit until the animal reti-acts itself from the fence conductor.

The circuit nterrupter is actuated by its electric heater to cause periodic interruptions in the electric energy delivered to the fence conductor.

The signal lamp ashes upon closure of the circuit interrupter and thereby gives a more denite signal to indicate that the fence conductor is energized and the electricvence is in operation.

The thermionic tube controls the electric energy delivered to the fence conductor to maintain a sufficient voltage to deliver ample current to give an effective electric shock to an animal interposlng a high external resistance in the fence circuit.

The thermionic tube is itself controlled by itsheated cathodey to, control the electric energy delivered to the fence conductor to impose a predetermined limitation upon'the current deliverable from the fence conductor to an animal in contact therewith and thereby protect an animal or person in contact with the fence conductor -from an excessive or injurious electric shock.

The heated cathode may have its temperature adjusted by the adjustable resistance 2l to vary and adjust the predetermined limitation imposed upon the current delivered to the fence-conthe transformer through supply conductor 9. imi and thencethrough vthe animal to thegroundorv l5 ductor and thence to an animal in contact therewith.

ccording to the conditions obtaining under some conditions in. practice, the transformer delivers to the supply conductors a sixty-cycle 120- volt alternating current, and the thermionic tube controls the electric energy delivered to the fence conductor to impress about volts across the open fence circuit and limit the current deliverable from the fence conductor to under fifty (50i milliamperes.

The thermionic tube may have its characterlstics modified and the temperature of its cathode adjusted to control the electric energy delivered to the fence conductor to maintain different voltages across the open` fence circuit and impose different limitations upon the current deliverable from the fence conductor to an animal or person in contact therewith.

The circuit interrupter is adjustable to var; the

- time the fence conductor is energized and the time it is deenergized.

The invention may be embodied in various dil'- ferent ways which will be within its scope as defined by the hereinafter claims.

The invention shown in the accompanying drawing and described in the foregoing specification is hereby dened and claimed as follows:

1. An electric fence, comprising the combination with a fence conductor arranged to form a tence to bound a eld and insulated from a return conductor to form an open A fence circuit and :,siacaa an electric energy source to deliver electric energy to said fence circuit to give an electric shock to an animal making contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor, of means to control said electric energy to deliver sumcient current to give an eiIective electric shock to an animal possessing a high resistance and impose a predetermined limitation upon said current to protect an animal irounV an excessive electric` shock to an animal making contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor, of

an electronic tube arranged to control said electric energy and adjusted to deliver suiiicient current to said fence circuit to give an eiectivel electric shock to an animal and impose a predetermined limitation upon said current independent of the external resistance interposed in said fence circuit, and a condenser connected across said fence circuit between said fence conductor and said return conductorto augment the voltage across said fence circuit upon an animal making contact with said fence conductor'and y' 'said return conductor.'

3. An electric fence, comprising the combina tion with a fence conductor arranged to form a fence to bound a field and insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit and an electric energy source to deliver electric energy to said fence circuit to give an electric shock to an animal making contact' with said fence conductor and said return conductor, of storing means connected in circuit in series with said electric energy source and across said fence circuit to store electric energy from said electric energy source and to discharge said stored electric energy through said fence circuit to augment the voltage to give an electric shock to an animal making contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor, and means connected in circuit in series with said i'ence conductor and said electric energy source to limit the electric energy delivered to said fence circuit by said electric energy source.

4. An electric fence. comprising the combina tion with a ience conductor arranged to form a fence to bound a ileld and insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit and an electric energy source to deliver electric energy to said fence circuit to give an electric shock to an animal making contact with said fence conductor -and said return conductor, 4of storing means connected in circuit in series with said electric energy source and across said fence circuit to store electric energy from said electric energy source and to discharge said stored electric energy through said fence circuit to augment the voltage to give an electric shock to an animal making contact with said fencey conductor and said return conductor, andvmeans connected iny 4circuit in series with said fence conductor and said electric energy source to lilnit'the electric energy delivered to said fence circuit by said electric energy source independent of the external resistance interposed in said fence circuit by an animal.

5. In combination with a fence wire adapted to be electrically grounded through the body of an animal contacting the same, a current supply, means connected with the wire and adapted to store up a high value electrical charge which is adapted, to be spontaneously discharged and spent upon grounding of the wire through the body of an animal in contact with the wire, and means limiting the current supply to the wire during the grounding thereof.

6. In combination with a fence wire adapted to be electrically grounded through the body of an animal contacting the same, means connected with the wire to store up a substantial electrical charge which is adapted to be released and spentspontaneously upon grounding of the wire to give an animal grounding the same a short sudden and' effective shock, and means for building up an electrical charge in said last named means.

'7. In an apparatus for charging a fence wire with high voltage electricity, the combination of a source of direct current, a condenser in which the voltage is adapted to be built up and stored. a fence wire properly insulated from the ground and connected to one side o! the condenser, said fence wire being adapted to discharge the charge stored in the condenser to the ground through any animal that comes in contact with the fence wire.

8. An electric fence, comprising the combination with an electric energy source possessing ca pacity to deliver electric energy of an order to give an injurious electric shock to an animal or person, of a fence conductor arranged to form a tence to bound a iield vand insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit. conductive means arranged in circuit in series with said electric energy source and said fence conductor to modify electric energy from said source to protect an animal or person in contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor from an injurious electric shock, and storing means connected in circuit in series with said conductive means and said electric energy source and across said fence circuit to store electric energy from said electric energy source and dis- Cil charge said stored electric energy through said fence conductor to an animal making contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor.

9. An electric fence, comprising the combination with an electric energy source possessing capacity to' deliver electric energy of an order to give an injurious electric shock to an animal or person. of a fence conductor arranged to form a fence to bound a ileld and insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit, nn electronic tube arranged in circuit in series with said electric energy source and saidfence conductor to modify electric energy from said electric energy source to protect an animal or person in contact with" said fence conductor and said return conductor from an iniurious electric shock, and a condenser connected in circuit in series with said electronic tube and sad electric energy source and across said tence circuit to store electric energy from said electric energy source and discharge said stored electric energy through said fence conductor to an animal making contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor.

l0. An electric fence, comprising the combination with an alternating current electric energy source possessing capacity to deliver electric en- -ergy of an order to give 'aniiniurious electric shock to an animal or person, o! a fence conductor arranged to form a fence to bound a ileld and insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit, an electronic rectifying tube arranged in circuit vwith said electric energy source and said fence conductor to rectify electric energy from said electric energy source and modify electric energy :from said Velectric energy source to protect an animal or person from an imurious electric shock, and a condenser connected in circuit in series with said electronic tube and said electric energy source and across said fence circuit to store electric energy from said electric energy source and discharge said vstored electric energy through said fence conducperson, of a fence conductor arranged to form. a

fence to bound a iield and insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit, an

electronic tube arranged in circuit in series with said electric energy source and said fence conductor to control electric energy from said electric energy source to deliver sumcient electric energy through said fence conductor to give an eilective electric shock to an animal interposing a high resistance in said fence' circuit and to. impose a 1 suiiicient limitation upon said electric energy to prohibit an excessive electric shock toan animal interposng a low resistance in said fence circuit, and a condenser connected in circuit in series with said electronic tube and said electric energy source and across said fence circuit to store e1ec-l tion with a fence conductor arranged to form a fence to bound a field and insulated from a return conductor to iorm an open fence circuit and an electric energy source to deliver electric energy to said fence circuit, of an electronic tube arranged in circuit in series with said electric energy source to receive from said electric energy source electr-lc energy of an order to give an injurious electric shock to an animal or person and controlling said electric` energy to maintain suilicient electric 'energy to give an eicctive electric shock to an animal in contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor and impose a sumcient limitation upon said electric energy to protect an animal or person from an injurious electric shock independent of wide variations in the resistance interposed in the fence circuit by the animal, and

a condenser connected in circuit in series with said electronic tube and said electric energy source and across said fence circuit to store electric energy from said electric energy source and discharge said stored electric energy through said fence conductor to an animal making contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor.

14. Anelectric fence, comprising the combination with a fence conductor arranged to forni a fence to bound a ileld and insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit, oi a condenser connected to said fence circuit to deliver electric energy thereto upon an animal making contact withsaid fence conductor and said return conductor, an electric energy source having said condenser connected thereto in a closed turn conductor to form an open fence circuit, oi a energy of an order to give an injurious electric Y shock to an animal or'person, oi a fence conductor arranged to form a fence to bound a field and insulated from a return conductor to form an open fence circuit, a thermionic tube arranged in circuit in series --with'said electric energy source and said fence conductor to rectify alternating current from said electric energy source and control electric energy from Vsaid electric energy source to deliver sumcient electric energy through said fence conductor to give anetl'ective electric shock to 'an animal interposing a high resistance in said fence circuit and to impose a suilicient lim'- itation upon said electric energy to prohibit an excessive electric shock to an animal -interposing a low resistance in. said fence circuit, anda condenser connected in circuit in series with said energy from said electric energy source and discharge said stored electric energy through said fence conductor to' an animal making contact condenser connected to said fence circuit to de- Y liver electric energy thereto upon an animal making contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor, an alternating current source -having said condenser connected thereto in a closed circuit and delivering electric energy to said condenser through said closed circuit to charge said condenser. and means connected in said closed circuit to rectify said alternating current into unidirectional currentA to charge said condenser. y

16. An electric fence, comprising the combination with a tence conductor arranged to form a fence to bound a neld `and insulated from a rewith saidtence conductor and said 'return conductor.

turn conductorto form an open fence-circuit, oi.

a condenser connected to, said fence circuit to deliver electric energy thereto upon an animal making contact with said fence conductor and said return conductor, an alternating current source having said condenser connected thereto in al closed circuit and delivering electric energy to said condenser `through" saidclosed circuit to charge said condenser, and a thermionic tube 'connected in said closed circuit to 'rectify said' alternating current into unidirectional current to 'charge said condenser. l Y

y JOHN 

